Abstract
In the midst of the increasing attention placed on teacher development and competence, there is a need to extensively explore the profound impact of the DepEd Teacher Induction Program (TIP) and Induction Program for Beginning Teachers (IPBT) on the professional growth of beginning teachers in Trinidad Districts, Schools Division of Bohol, province of Bohol, for the academic year 2021-2022.This study explored the: (1) the experiences of beginning teachers in the induction programs, (2) the perceptions of administrators and mentors regarding the effectiveness of the TIP and IPBT programs in supporting teachers' development and competence, (3) how the IPBT addresses the gaps and weaknesses of the TIP, (4) the bottlenecks, lags, issues, and concerns (BLICS) in the program implementation. The researcher employed Descriptive-qualitative research design, enabling an in-depth exploration of participants' experiences, perspectives, and behaviors within their natural settings. The study was conducted in Trinidad I and II districts, encompassing 30 schools in the province of Bohol, Philippines. Ten (10) beginning teachers and five (5) administrators participated in the study, selected purposefully based on their involvement and experience in the TIP and IPBT programs. The information power and data saturation principles guided the determination of the sample size, ensuring comprehensive insights were gathered. Semi-structured interviews, facilitated by an interview guide, were utilized as the primary data collection method. The Reflexive Thematic Analysis approach proposed by Braun and Clarke was employed to identify patterns and themes within the collected data. The study's findings highlighted key aspects of the induction programs. Teachers' experiences revealed three themes: learning and growth, support and community, and challenges and frustrations. Administrators and mentors perceived the TIP and IPBT programs as effective, attributing their success to well-structured designs and comprehensive support systems. The IPBT addressed the gaps in the TIP, offering a systematic and tailored framework. Bottlenecks in program implementation included a lack of qualified mentors, insufficient resources, coordination issues, and data gaps. Based on these findings, recommendations are put forth, including strengthening mentorship programs, increasing resource allocation, enhancing coordination and collaboration, implementing comprehensive data collection and evaluation, promoting networking and peer support, and suggesting future mixed-method research approaches.
